Chapter 3: Ask what happened, not what people want, lesson 6 of 7
Test your skills
Check what you learned in chapter 3. Four rounds: the key words, facts or guesses, and an interview in order. Then all five lessons on a library app.
You have learned five things in this chapter. This lesson checks them, in four rounds.
The first three rounds are the key words, facts or guesses, and the order of an interview. You meet each one on a dog-walking app. The last round uses all five lessons at once, on a library app you haven’t seen. You get one score at the end, and you can try again.
Four rounds, one score
Skills test
31 questions in 4 rounds. Answer each one, then check it. Your score comes at the end.
Round 1 of 4
Which words fit?
Each one is a moment from Nina's dog-walking app. Pick the words that fit the gap.
Question 1 of 15
Nina asks: "Tell me about the last time you booked a walk." That's a .
Tap a word, or drag it into the gap. Then check it.
It asks about something that really happened.
Question 2 of 15
"Would you book a walk every day if it were cheaper?" is a .
Tap a word, or drag it into the gap. Then check it.
It asks about a future the person has never lived.
Question 3 of 15
A user rates the app 9 out of 10 because Nina is sitting right there. That's .
Tap a word, or drag it into the gap. Then check it.
People answer in the way that sounds kind.
Question 4 of 15
"You love the new map, don't you?" is a .
Tap a word, or drag it into the gap. Then check it.
It holds the answer Nina wants.
Question 5 of 15
"How often do you walk him, and where, and does he like it?" is a .
Tap a word, or drag it into the gap. Then check it.
Three questions in one. People answer the easiest.
Question 6 of 15
Nina describes her new feature and asks what they think. That's .
Tap a word, or drag it into the gap. Then check it.
She's selling her idea, so people get kind.
Question 7 of 15
A user says, "It's a hassle." Nina asks, "A hassle?" That short reply is a .
Tap a word, or drag it into the gap. Then check it.
It asks for more of what the person just said.
Question 8 of 15
How much? Then what? What was it like before? Nina is using the .
Tap a word, or drag it into the gap. Then check it.
Five ways to follow a thread, one step at a time.
Question 9 of 15
Nina talked for 25 of the 30 minutes. Her is far too high.
Tap a word, or drag it into the gap. Then check it.
You should talk for less than a fifth of the time.
Question 10 of 15
With Nina watching, users check the map twice as carefully as usual. That's the .
Tap a word, or drag it into the gap. Then check it.
People change what they do when they're watched.
Question 11 of 15
"Book a walk for Friday and pay, with no help." Reaching that end is .
Tap a word, or drag it into the gap. Then check it.
The person reached the end you set, without help.
Question 12 of 15
Nina asks users to say what they're thinking as they book a walk. That's .
Tap a word, or drag it into the gap. Then check it.
They say their thoughts out loud as they go.
Question 13 of 15
"In the last month, did you book a dog walk?" decides who gets invited. It's a question.
Tap a word, or drag it into the gap. Then check it.
It asks what people did, to find the right people.
Question 14 of 15
Nina writes down everything, so a colleague could run the same interviews. That's a .
Tap a word, or drag it into the gap. Then check it.
It's everything someone else needs to run the study.
Question 15 of 15
After eight interviews, nothing new is coming up. Nina has reached .
Tap a word, or drag it into the gap. Then check it.
More interviews would stop teaching her anything new.
See the answers
- past-behaviour question: It asks about something that really happened.
- hypothetical question: It asks about a future the person has never lived.
- social desirability: People answer in the way that sounds kind.
- leading question: It holds the answer Nina wants.
- compound question: Three questions in one. People answer the easiest.
- pitching: She's selling her idea, so people get kind.
- probe: It asks for more of what the person just said.
- follow-up ladder: Five ways to follow a thread, one step at a time.
- talk ratio: You should talk for less than a fifth of the time.
- observer effect: People change what they do when they're watched.
- task success: The person reached the end you set, without help.
- think-aloud: They say their thoughts out loud as they go.
- screener: It asks what people did, to find the right people.
- protocol: It's everything someone else needs to run the study.
- saturation: More interviews would stop teaching her anything new.
Round 2 of 4
Facts or guesses?
Nina's questions to dog owners. Does each one get facts, or guesses? Put each card in its group.
Card 1 of 4
Walk me through yesterday's walk, from leaving home to coming back.
Drag the card to a group, or tap a group. Then check it.
One real walk, in order.
Card 2 of 4
Would you pay more for a walker with photos?
Drag the card to a group, or tap a group. Then check it.
A guess about the future, and a price.
Card 3 of 4
Can you show me how you booked last week?
Drag the card to a group, or tap a group. Then check it.
Something you can see, not just hear about.
Card 4 of 4
How much would you use a weekly plan?
Drag the card to a group, or tap a group. Then check it.
It asks them to predict their own habits.
See the answers
- Gets facts: Walk me through yesterday's walk, from leaving home to coming back.
- Gets guesses: Would you pay more for a walker with photos?
- Gets facts: Can you show me how you booked last week?
- Gets guesses: How much would you use a weekly plan?
Round 3 of 4
Put the interview in order
Nina is planning one interview. Put the parts in the order they happen.
First
- Say who she is, ask to record, and say they can stop.
Consent always comes first, before any question.
- Tell me about the last time you booked a walk.
Start with one real day.
- You said the walker was late. What happened then?
Follow the thread they hand you.
- Could you show me the booking on your phone?
Turn talk into something you can see.
- Is there anything I didn't ask that I should have?
It catches what your questions missed.
- Write down three things that surprised her.
Straight after, before she forgets.
Last
Drag a card up or down, or use its arrows. Then check your order.
See the right order
- Consent: Say who she is, ask to record, and say they can stop.
- A question about the past: Tell me about the last time you booked a walk.
- A follow-up: You said the walker was late. What happened then?
- Show me: Could you show me the booking on your phone?
- One open question at the end: Is there anything I didn't ask that I should have?
- The debrief: Write down three things that surprised her.
Round 4 of 4
Use it all on a new case
6 questions on a product you haven't seen in this chapter. Say how sure you are each time.
Omar runs a library app. His boss wants to add an e-book reader. Omar's team knows three things.
- In a survey, 7 in 10 members said they would read e-books in the app.
- The app's log shows most visits are to renew a loan.
- Omar has 30 minutes with each of five members next week.
Question 1 of 6
It asks about something that really happened. The other two get a guess and a kind number.
Reread: What the best questions had in common, in lesson 3.1See the answer
Tell me about the last time you renewed a loan.. It asks about something that really happened. The other two get a guess and a kind number. Reread: What the best questions had in common, in lesson 3.1
Question 2 of 6
It's what people said they would do. Saying costs nothing, so it's weak proof.
Reread: What the best questions had in common, in lesson 3.1See the answer
A guess about the future, in a survey. It's what people said they would do. Saying costs nothing, so it's weak proof. Reread: What the best questions had in common, in lesson 3.1
Question 3 of 6
The member will answer the easiest part, and the rest are lost.
Reread: The questions that get you nothing, in lesson 3.2See the answer
It's three questions in one. The member will answer the easiest part, and the rest are lost. Reread: The questions that get you nothing, in lesson 3.2
Question 4 of 6
It follows her thread and asks for one real time. Reminders would be Omar's idea, not hers.
Reread: Five ways to follow a thread, in lesson 3.3See the answer
When did that last happen? What happened then?. It follows her thread and asks for one real time. Reminders would be Omar's idea, not hers. Reread: Five ways to follow a thread, in lesson 3.3
Question 5 of 6
It's something anyone watching would agree on, with a number.
Reread: Seen, or guessed?, in lesson 3.4See the answer
She opened the menu 3 times before she found Renew. It's something anyone watching would agree on, with a number. Reread: Seen, or guessed?, in lesson 3.4
Question 6 of 6
It asks what they did, recently. The others let in people who never borrow.
Reread: Find the right people, in lesson 3.5See the answer
In the last month, did you borrow a book from the library?. It asks what they did, recently. The others let in people who never borrow. Reread: Find the right people, in lesson 3.5
Done
Your score
Worth a second look
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